Massive storms affected the Southern Moravia region in the southeast of the Czech Republic. The area along the Slovak border was hit the hardest. (source: Sme - Jozef Jakubčo)
If someone asks you what the climate crisis looks like, this is exactly it.
The June and July heatwave has claimed 645 deaths in Canada and more than 208 deaths in the United States. In both countries, the heat damaged property and left behind melted cables, cracked roads, and destroyed power lines.
The Canadian town of Lytton first saw a temperature record of 49.6 degrees Celsius on June 29. Subsequently, the area around the city was hit by natural fires on June 30. They eventually destroyed 90 percent of the city's buildings.
Extensive forest fires broke out in California in June for the third season in a row. So far, they have not claimed any victims, but as of now, the burning area is three times larger than that of this time last year. The fire season is expected to continue at least until September. In addition, there is a huge drought in the region while water supplies are declining.Extensive forest fires broke out in California in June for the third season in a row. So far, they have not claimed any victims, but as of now, the burning area is three times larger than that of this time last year. The fire season is expected to continue at least until September. In addition, there is a huge drought in the region while water supplies are declining.
The June 24 tornado in the Czech Republic claimed 5 lives and caused extensive property damage.
Extensive floods in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have claimed more than 100 lives while tens of thousands of people were evacuated. The flooding left behind enormous material damage.
Each of these events has left behind extensive human and economic damage that will require mobilising immense resources to be fixed.
The climate crisis will look exactly like this in the years to come: human casualties, material damage and huge costs for relief work.
Similar conditions are increasing statistically and are expected to become even more frequent and more extreme. It will cost us ever more attention and more resources that could otherwise be invested in other areas.
And that's just the beginning. Globally, the climate has warmed up by 1.1 degrees so far. We will reach a 1.5-degree increase in this decade and if we do nothing, 2 degrees in the next decade. The consequences will intensify.
If we want to do something about it, the time to act is now. We must face climate change as a crisis.
